


EPISODE THREE: "You Wouldn't Understand"

by gaypetersimmonds



Series: Skam Brighton: Season Four [4]
Category: Original Work, SKAM (Norway)
Genre: Canon Autistic Character, Canon Bisexual Character, Canon Character of Color, Canon Gay Character, Canon Jewish Character, Canon Lesbian Character, Canon Trans Character, Episode 3, Gen, Skam Season 4, also for some slight ableism???? not quite sure, oh also mentions of underage drinking/drug use/pregnancy, the girls are fighting sad face, the step sibs are fighting sad face emoji, tw for a little bit of ableism in clip one, tw for allusions to self harm and abuse in clip 5, tw for discussion of an ed in clip 4, tw for rape mention and cyber bullying and closeted shaming stuff in clip 3, tw for some weed smoking in clip 2 because it's 420 babey and i represent the Teens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:21:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23717371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaypetersimmonds/pseuds/gaypetersimmonds
Summary: Brianna Holland has shit sorted. Every part of her is neatly boxed off from the other, from her working class mother, annoyingly perfect step-family, and overwhelming pressure to ace her A-Levels, to her awesome best friends, expertly curated Instagram, and endless hours of drinking that result in random regrettable hook-ups.The ups stay up for all to see, and the downs are covered up. But the different parts of her life are starting to threaten to break down the walls that she’s spent years building up, and if secrets from any side come out, Brianna’s life would be over.As her past keeps coming back to haunt her, and the future gets bleaker every day, she’s going to fight harder than ever to show everyone how goddamn happy she is. Because she is happy. Right?FIRST CLIP: "Biologically Different"
Relationships: Aurora "Rori" Chan/Nick Braxton, Elizabeth "Liz" Tudor/James Cohen, Sandy Neuman/Esther Montner
Series: Skam Brighton: Season Four [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1681366
Comments: 5
Kudos: 8





	1. CLIP ONE: "Biologically Different"

**SATURDAY, APRIL 18TH, 14:33**

INT. FOOD COURT, SHOPPING CENTRE

“Tik Tok” by Ke$ha plays in the background as we pan around the food court - people standing in line, families together, babies crying. It's very crowded and loud, and in the middle of all of it sit  SANDY, ESTHER, LIZ, RORI and BRIANNA at a table together, drinks in front of them. There are some shopping bags at their feet, and they're already in the middle of a conversation.

SANDY  
Seriously, my legs are too long, I can’t buy any jeans that fit anymore.

BRIANNA fake-pouts.

BRIANNA

Oh, that’s so hard, your size 13 Nikes… 

ESTHER  
Yeah, I literally have to buy shoes in the kids’ section.

BRIANNA  
Your little baby feet!

They all laugh a little, BRIANNA taking a sip of her drink.

RORI  
Honestly, kids’ shoes are cuter. I like them.

BRIANNA  
Good for you!

RORI smiles, as LIZ continues to bop her head to the music.

LIZ  
I love this song.

BRIANNA  
Ke$ha didn’t have to snap like this, but she did!

SANDY  
Back in the good old days when “Tik Tok” meant on the clock.

RORI  
You old lady.

They all laugh again, ESTHER looking a little nervous.

ESTHER  
Guys?

They all turn to her, BRIANNA’s shoulders tensing.

ESTHER  
I-- I kind of wanna say something a bit serious.

SANDY reaches over and holds ESTHER’s hand as LIZ smiles at her supportively. BRIANNA looks between all of them, not quite sure what to do here, so she smiles too.

RORI  
Go for it.

ESTHER  
Well, uh, I’m pretty sure I’m autistic.

There’s a moment of silence, BRIANNA’s mouth falling slightly open, completely surprised. 

SANDY  
And… How do you feel about it?

ESTHER  
Pretty great, honestly.

She shrugs, smiling and laughing a little.

SANDY  
How'd you… discover this?

ESTHER  
Well, I kind of thought I might be for a while, and then I talked to Liz about it, and… It all just clicked.

LIZ  
Yeah, it's like all of the little things, the isolation, the confusion at social things, problems with food.

RORI looks confused as BRIANNA looks down, biting her thumbnail, hunching her shoulders.

RORI  
Confusion at social things?

LIZ  
Yeah, like not getting sarcasm, having to plan out everything you say before you say it, not understanding the way people act. I mean, it’s different for everyone, but you know. 

ESTHER  
Yeah, I just thought that’s how it was for everyone, but it isn’t.

BRIANNA lets out a breath.

RORI  
Oh shit… And food stuff?

LIZ  
Like certain textures and flavours being bad. Like, so bad that you can’t eat them.

ESTHER does a peace sign.

ESTHER  
This post is specifically about bananas.

There’s a little laugh, BRIANNA trying her best to join in without getting actually involved.

RORI  
Oh, yeah… 

There’s a slight pause, BRIANNA watching RORI fidget, the same ways BRIANNA was fidgeting a few moments ago.

RORI  
Liz?

LIZ  
Yeah?

RORI  
Do you have any, like, things you could send me, just… Yeah.

LIZ  
Why?

BRIANNA tries to catch LIZ’s eye, but she can’t.

RORI  
I don’t know… I-- I think I could be autistic too.

LIZ  
Oh.

There's another pause, BRIANNA beginning to fiddle with the hem of her shirt, pulling at a thread on it.

SANDY  
Can you know from just reading about it?

ESTHER  
Yeah, I think so.

SANDY nods.

SANDY  
Huh. I thought you couldn't do that with mental illnesses.

LIZ  
Yeah, but autism isn’t really a mental illness. It’s a developmental disorder. Your brain is literally biologically different from other people from birth, you can’t just get better from it because it's not something you need to get better from, like a mental illness.

The thread BRIANNA's pulling on snaps quietly, BRIANNA looking down at it.

SANDY  
Okay.

It’s silently agreed that they’re done with that thread of the conversation, BRIANNA looking back up and around, looking for something right to say.

SANDY  
[to ESTHER] I’m proud of you.

ESTHER  
Thanks.

SANDY kisses ESTHER on the cheek, and BRIANNA looks over at RORI - she's drinking some of her water, not really looking at anyone. BRIANNA lets out a breath. LIZ is checking her phone, and everyone is pleasantly silent for a moment. BRIANNA opens her mouth and says the first thing that comes to her mind.

BRIANNA  
I think “Tik Tok” by Ke$ha could be about communism.

The others all laugh, mostly confused, and BRIANNA’s also a bit confused - this is what she wanted, but it isn’t. She’s still slightly on the outside.

BRIANNA  
I mean, “Tik tok on the clock”, it’s about clocking in.

SANDY  
Exactly!

ESTHER  
“The party don’t stop!”

LIZ  
[through laughter] Jesus Christ!

RORI  
Wait, do we like communism?

BRIANNA shrugs.

BRIANNA  
I don’t even fucking know.

They all descend into laughter, BRIANNA’s a lot quieter and smoother than the rest, making sure she’s still sitting up and looking pretty.

ALISTAIR [O.S.]  
Hey!

BRIANNA looks over, her face immediately falling as she sees ALISTAIR jogging up to them.

ESTHER  
Al!

BRIANNA  
What’s he doing here?

LIZ  
He said he was free, so I invited him! 

RORI  
He has the  _ best  _ fashion taste.

BRIANNA blows out an angry laugh.

BRIANNA  
Yeah, if you like Hawaiian shirts.

ESTHER looks down at the Hawaiian shirt she’s currently wearing.

BRIANNA  
Oh shit, sorry.

ALISTAIR sits down next to ESTHER and LIZ, all attention turning to him.

ALISTAIR  
You guys will  _ never  _ guess the dog I saw on the way here!

ALISTAIR pulls out his phone as the rest of the GIRL SQUAD look around it, BRIANNA sitting back and rolling her eyes, looking away as she takes a sip of her drink.


	2. CLIP TWO: "Just Like You"

**MONDAY, APRIL 20TH, 14:33**

INT. ART CLASSROOM

BRIANNA walks in, black folder underneath her arm, and sees WREN and JORDAN sitting in the otherwise empty room - WREN doing something on a laptop and JORDAN sitting on the windowsill, smoking a joint out of it.

BRIANNA  
Hey.

WREN looks up, grinning.

WREN  
Hi!

BRIANNA sets her folder down on a table and begins to take out a sketchbook.

BRIANNA  
What are you working on?

WREN turns her laptop around to show BRIANNA a cartoony comic depicting a cutesy rabbit gardening, harvesting her plants, and then using them to smoke a joint in her room. BRIANNA laughs a little.

BRIANNA

Cute.

WREN  
Happy 420!

JORDAN raises her joint.

JORDAN  
Happy 420.

BRIANNA  
Happy 420.

They trail off into silence as _“Dog Bite” by Stella Bridie_ begins to play. BRIANNA opens her sketchbook to show an almost-complete black and white pencil drawing of the GIRL SQUAD, all of them with their arms around each other, smiling. 

BRIANNA takes out her phone and opens her gallery to an identical picture of the GIRL SQUAD, only in full colour - PICTURE BRIANNA's wearing the same dress in the picture from the first clip of the season. She places it in front of her and continues to draw them, focusing on the one person she hasn't done a lot of work on - herself.

She begins work on the face, working on the eyes first - drawing them with the makeup already on. She leans in, careful to get every little line right as she works down the nose, trying to make it real, but also trying to make it look a bit smaller.

As the chorus hits, BRIANNA begins to shade with more aggression, swooping lines down her body, almost trying to hide the dress in shadows, but she can't. She exhales, and goes back up to the face, slowly beginning to work on the lips again as the song slowly fades out.

WREN [O.S.]  
That looks nice.

BRIANNA looks around to see WREN behind her, holding her laptop. The clock on the wall says a lot more time has passed than we saw in the drawing montage.

BRIANNA  
Thanks.

WREN  
It's really pretty. Just like you.

BRIANNA  
Thanks, Wren, you too.

WREN  
See you!

BRIANNA waves and WREN walks out, JORDAN, her own sketchbook under her arm, standing up and going over to BRIANNA. She looks at her drawing.

JORDAN  
You're missing a light source there.

She points to PENCIL BRIANNA's forehead, and BRIANNA nods. JORDAN walks out, closing the door behind her, and the bell rings, making the screen cut to black.


	3. CLIP THREE: "Tired of Hiding"

**WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22ND, 15:52**

INT. FRONT HALL, BRIANNA’S HOUSE

BRIANNA walks in, dropping her bag onto the floor. There’s the noise of a movie coming from the living room, which she ignores as she bends down to pet CUSTARD, who’s sitting obediently on the stairs.

Her phone buzzes in her pocket and she takes it out: it’s an Instagram DM from a guy she clearly doesn’t recognise. She opens it - we don't see it - and inhales sharply, quickly turning her phone off. 

She looks down at CUSTARD, who looks up at her, eyes wide and innocent. She smiles, sadly, and pets him again, letting him rub himself all over her.

ALISTAIR [O.S.]  
It’s just-- It’s really about submitting to the mortifying ordeals of being known.

JAMES [O.S.]  
Shut up about the ordeals!

BRIANNA’s eyes widen as she stiffens, a clear “oh shit” going through her mind.

NICK [O.S.]  
I hate tender gays, go jerk off and you’ll calm down.

THEO [O.S.]  
Like that helped you.

There’s some laughter as BRIANNA quietly stands up.

JAKE [O.S.]  
Nice one!

BRIANNA goes over to the door and knocks on it, three times, slowly.

ALISTAIR [O.S.]  
Um, I’ll get it.

BRIANNA stands back, folding her arms, glaring as ALISTAIR opens the door, quickly coming out and closing it tightly behind him.

BRIANNA  
[whispering] What the fuck are you doing?

ALISTAIR  
[whispering] Hanging out with my friends. Wasn't aware that was a crime now.

BRIANNA  
You’re doing it  _ here _ .

ALISTAIR  
So?

BRIANNA glances at the door, making sure they can’t hear them talking.

BRIANNA  
They can’t know we’re…

ALISTAIR sighs.

ALISTAIR  
Jesus, we’ve been doing this for a year, Brianna, aren’t you tired of hiding?

BRIANNA rolls her eyes.

BRIANNA  
You make it sound like we’re gay lovers or some shit.

ALISTAIR  
[mutters] Yeah, you’d know all about hiding your sexuality.

BRIANNA’s mouth falls open as she laughs humourlessly, ALISTAIR cringing deeply at himself.

ALISTAIR  
I'm sorry, it just came out.

BRIANNA  
Nice word choice. Can you stop being a little bitch, Al?

ALISTAIR sighs.

ALISTAIR  
I just don’t want to keep secrets from my friends.

BRIANNA shakes her head, laughing again.

BRIANNA  
Do you think I do?

ALISTAIR shrugs.

ALISTAIR  
I don't know. Maybe.

BRIANNA  
Oh, and you’re so honest?

ALISTAIR  
More than you.

BRIANNA opens her mouth, angry, and then closes it. She takes a deep breath and continues to whisper.

BRIANNA  
Please, you copy me.

ALISTAIR  
I do  _ not! _

BRIANNA  
You came to _my_ school, you joined _my_ club, you took _my_ friends--

ALISTAIR  
I did not!

BRIANNA  
Didn’t you?

ALISTAIR  
It’s not my fault they like me!

BRIANNA lets out a breath, not able to believe what he's saying, and then she fake-pouts.

BRIANNA  
Poor baby. Got bored with your old friends, did you? Used them all up?

ALISTAIR stares at her and shakes his head as BRIANNA glances up at the portrait of JESUS hanging behind him.

ALISTAIR  
Do you literally ever get tired of being so mean?

BRIANNA puts on her smirk, but her eyes are exhausted.

BRIANNA  
No. It’s fun.

ALISTAIR rolls his eyes, almost identical to BRIANNA.

ALISTAIR  
I’m going back in - to hang out with my friends, in my house, like a normal teenager.

BRIANNA  
Oh, and I’m just meant to go hide upstairs?

ALISTAIR  
I don’t care if people know!

BRIANNA  
Of course you don’t!

ALISTAIR laughs, frustrated.

ALISTAIR  
I don’t know what you want me to do here, Bree.

BRIANNA glares at him - neither does she.

BRIANNA  
I-- I-- Just don’t let them know I’m here.

ALISTAIR  
Okay. Wasn’t planning on announcing your entrance with a fanfare.

BRIANNA picks up her bag and turns to walk up the stairs, "Ophelia" by Marika Hackman beginning to play as she flips him off.

INT. BRIANNA’S ROOM

BRIANNA walks into her room, still angry, and closes the door behind her hard. She winces at the noise, and opens the door again, slightly. CUSTARD walks in, looking offended, and lies down in his bed as she gently closes the door, with a lot of care and precision.

She sets her bag down in the middle of the floor and sits on her bed, her back leaning against the wall. She takes out her phone and turns it on, it instantly opening to the last thing she was looking at - some stranger’s dick pic.

She sucks in a breath, her lips pushed together in disgust, and she quickly types “okay i’m blocking you”, and before she can hit the option menu, the GUY begins to type back a message. BRIANNA looks away, not wanting to see it, but she still looks back. 

The message he sends reads: “Get raped cunt.”

BRIANNA’s mouth falls open and she lets out the breath, shaky. She closes her eyes, shaking her head, stealing herself, and she blocks the GUY.

She then goes out of her DMs and looks at her account, at the various pictures of her, her art, her friends, all perfect, all filtered. She sees the one of her and the GIRL SQUAD that she was drawing, and she closes her eyes. She scrolls back more, back to last year’s pictures, and opens the comments. 

There's one from an old account called "brianna_the_slut". It says "kill urself".

BRIANNA scrolls to the next picture and goes into the comments. brianna_the_slut says "go suck another dick whore".

BRIANNA keeps scrolling, her face completely expressionless. She doesn't stop - she  _ can't _ stop. She just keeps scrolling, her movements mechanical, her phone the only thing illuminating her face. All alone.


	4. CLIP FOUR: "I Didn't Tell Anyone"

**THURSDAY, APRIL 23RD, 15:52**

EXT. FOREST PATH

_“It’s Nice to Have a Friend” by Taylor Swift_ plays as BRIANNA and RORI jog down the forest path in slow motion, RORI looking beautiful and used to doing things like this, and BRIANNA looking sweaty, out of breath, but still laughing at something RORI’s saying.

We return to normal speed as the two of them slow down, the song fading out as BRIANNA clutches her side, breathing heavily.

BRIANNA  
Jesus… Christ…! 

She slides down to the ground, panting as RORI laughs, also out of breath.

RORI  
Come on, it’s not that bad.

BRIANNA  
My lungs feel like they’re on fire! And I have more stitches than… than… something with a lot of stitches!

RORI laughs.

RORI  
That sucks. But thanks for coming, though.

BRIANNA nods, still trying to catch her breath.

BRIANNA  
Welc.

RORI  
Liz couldn’t come because her sister’s sick and her parents went out, so she had to babysit her, so…

RORI nods, trying to fill the space as BRIANNA nods.

BRIANNA  
Glad I could be of service.

RORI  
Oh no, I didn’t mean--

BRIANNA  
I know what you meant, babe, I’m joking.

RORI  
Oh!

RORI nods, laughing a little, relieved, as BRIANNA smiles at her.

BRIANNA  
Besides, I wanted to get out of the house anyways. And spend time with you.

There's a beat as BRIANNA realises what she just said, and she quickly laughs, speaking again.

BRIANNA  
Why do you _actively_ choose to do this torture?

RORI  
It’s just so… freeing, you know?

BRIANNA looks at her like “what the fuck?” and RORI shrugs.

RORI  
I like it. And you get to look at nature. And it keeps you fit.

BRIANNA’s face goes still as she suddenly remembers something, sitting up a little, a lot more awkward all of a sudden as RORI takes a drink from her water bottle.

BRIANNA  
Uh, Rori?

RORI  
Yeah?

BRIANNA  
Are you, like… okay?

RORI laughs, loud and high-pitched.

RORI  
What do you mean, “okay”? Of course I’m okay.

BRIANNA  
It’s just-- You sent me that text at Easter and there’s this… I-- I don’t want to pry, it’s just--

RORI  
I’m fine, Bree. Seriously.

She takes a deliberate pause and breath before continuing.

RORI  
That-- That part of my life is over now, and I’m healthy. I’m just not, you know, 100% okay overall yet.

BRIANNA nods, looking down a little.

BRIANNA  
When… did "it" happen?

RORI  
Um, last year.

BRIANNA looks her in the eyes, but RORI looks away, deeply ashamed.

BRIANNA  
[quiet] Why didn’t you tell me?

RORI  
I-- I don’t know. I didn’t tell anyone.

BRIANNA  
Why not?

RORI shrugs, and BRIANNA immediately regrets saying that.

RORI  
I just… I don’t know. It wasn’t a nice time. I-- I only talk about it with Liz because she gets it, you know? Like, she understands what it’s like to keep something like that hidden for so long and just… Yeah. Not-- Not that I think you wouldn’t understand, I just--

BRIANNA  
It’s fine, Rori.

BRIANNA’s mouth is a straight line - she knows how she feels about this, but she knows that it makes her a hypocrite.

BRIANNA  
You know I love you, right?

RORI nods, beginning to smile.

RORI  
I love you too.

There’s a silence as BRIANNA holds out her hand. RORI hands her the water bottle and BRIANNA takes a drink eagerly, RORI taking her phone out of her pocket and beginning to scroll through it as BRIANNA stops drinking, gasping for air.

BRIANNA  
Oh, I needed that.

RORI laughs a little and BRIANNA looks up to see her look at her phone. BRIANNA tries not to look disappointed that RORI wasn’t laughing with her. 

RORI looks up from her phone and BRIANNA looks away, pretending to be looking into the trees.

RORI  
So, uh, ready to keep going?

BRIANNA  
Yeah, sure. I'm ready to die.

RORI laughs a little, and puts out a hand to BRIANNA, who takes it and gets up. When BRIANNA hands the bottle back to RORI, both of their phones vibrate.

They both take them out and reads the text to the GIRL SQUAD group chat from ESTHER: "hey, i'm posting the cast list tomorrow because i wanna have More Time at rehearsals, just wanna let you know in advance."

She then sends a link to a Google Doc, that BRIANNA taps, and instantly scans for her name, which is next to "MIMI MARQUEZ".

She smiles widely, and looks over at RORI, who gasps and jumps up and down, laughing happily.

RORI  
I got Maureen!

BRIANNA  
And I got Mimi!

RORI hugs BRIANNA tightly, BRIANNA hugging her back just as tight.

RORI  
Ugh, this is amazing! Come on, let's keep going, I've got some great energy!

BRIANNA laughs.

BRIANNA  
I can tell, babe, I can feel it.

RORI starts to jog off, punching her fists in the air.

RORI  
Whoo!

BRIANNA laughs, staring after her fondly, and then begins to run after her, putting her phone back in her pocket.


	5. CLIP FIVE: "Hurt Yourself"

**FRIDAY, APRIL 24TH, 23:59**

INT. MAIN ROOM, CLUB

_“...Ready For It?” by Taylor Swift_ plays over over shots of BRIANNA in the club, dancing with her hands above her head, then doing shots at the bar, then talking to some tall GIRL we’ve never seen before.

She’s dancing all over, to the left, to the right, all under neon lights. She downs a beer, and suddenly NICK, JAMES and THEO are around her, cheering her on as she does.

Then NICK and BRIANNA are dancing together, BRIANNA twirling him around, then JAMES and BRIANNA are laughing in seats over something on JAMES’s phone, then THEO and BRIANNA are clinking shot glasses together, tossing them back.

BRIANNA then takes out her phone and texts RORI “roriiiii you’re missing out on so muchhhh. yiu and the girls should quit studying and COME OUT WITH US!!!!!”.

She laughs a little, and puts her phone back into her pocket, taking another drink from NICK’s hand.

INT. FRONT HALL, BRIANNA’S HOUSE

The music completely cuts out as BRIANNA walks in, her heels in her hand as she tries to sneak up the stairs. 

AUDREY [O.S.]  
Good evening, madam.

BRIANNA jumps, turning to see AUDREY sitting in the living room.

BRIANNA  
Jesus Christ!

AUDREY keeps staring at her and raises her eyebrows.

INT. LIVING ROOM

BRIANNA walks in, trying to sober herself up as she holds onto the door for support.

BRIANNA  
You scared the life out of me, Mum.

AUDREY  
Where were you?

BRIANNA  
I was with my friends, it’s not a big deal.

AUDREY scoffs.

AUDREY  
“Not a big deal”. Bree, it’s midnight. I’ve been hearing you come in at all hours for  _ weeks  _ now.

BRIANNA looks around and lets out a panicked laugh.

BRIANNA  
I’m just hanging out with my friends, Mum. 

AUDREY  
What are you doing with them?

BRIANNA  
Just... hanging.

AUDREY stares at her, and BRIANNA shrugs.

BRIANNA  
I-- I don’t know what the problem is.

AUDREY  
Are you out  _ drinking  _ with them?

BRIANNA rolls her eyes, laughing a little as AUDREY remains straight-faced.

BRIANNA  
I’m seventeen.

AUDREY  
It’s illegal!

BRIANNA  
Why does that matter?  _ You  _ drank when you were my age.

AUDREY  
I was an idiot back then.

BRIANNA  
Yeah, I know. That's why I'm here.

AUDREY’s mouth falls open and BRIANNA stays still, paralysed by what she just said.

AUDREY  
Brianna.

BRIANNA  
I’m sorry, I'm sorry. I know pregnancies are [in an imitation of AUDREY's accent] "a two way street, missy". But still. Glass houses, Mum.

AUDREY  
I know. You know, maybe if you didn’t do drugs, you would--

BRIANNA  
Whoa, who said anything about drugs?

AUDREY  
I found weed in your underwear drawer, Brianna.

BRIANNA  
Why were you looking at my knickers?!

AUDREY  
Never mind that! Why do you have drugs in my house?

BRIANNA  
Jesus Christ, it’s just weed, it’s not a big deal.

AUDREY  
I don’t know what else you’re doing!

BRIANNA rolls her eyes, folding her arms.

AUDREY  
Oh, don’t you roll your eyes at me, young lady.

BRIANNA  
Mum. I’m not doing heroin. Are you happy?

AUDREY sighs, leaning back in her chair.

AUDREY  
Bree… I worry about you, okay? You’re my little girl, and I don’t want you to get hurt.

BRIANNA  
I'm fine. Nothing hurts me. 

AUDREY stares at her for a moment, BRIANNA looking determinedly away..

AUDREY  
Are you… doing okay, Bree?

BRIANNA sighs.

BRIANNA  
_Yes_ , Jesus.

AUDREY  
Have you thought about what I said? About going back to therapy, or--

BRIANNA  
No. I mean, I have, but I’m not going to.

AUDREY  
Why not?

BRIANNA looks at her, confused.

AUDREY  
I’m not mad, Brianna, I just want you to give me a good reason why.

BRIANNA rolls her eyes, huffing impatiently.

BRIANNA  
I just don’t want to. Isn’t that enough?

AUDREY  
Another reason.

BRIANNA  
I-- I don’t like being analysed. I don’t like being talked about--

AUDREY  
It’s all part of life, pet, you have to--

BRIANNA  
I don’t!

She sighs.

BRIANNA  
Mum, I don’t need it.

AUDREY  
You have bipolar, Brianna, that doesn’t just go away--

BRIANNA  
How do you know it hasn't? You’re not a doctor.

AUDREY  
Well, neither are you.

BRIANNA  
You don’t know what my life is like.

AUDREY  
I know--

BRIANNA  
I think I would know my brain better than you do.

AUDREY  
I know, pet, but--

BRIANNA  
I don’t need any help, Mum! I’m fine!

AUDREY  
Someone who doesn’t need help doesn’t come home at midnight.

BRIANNA  
Am I not allowed to have a life? Not allowed to have fun?

AUDREY  
I just want what’s best for you--

BRIANNA  
No, you don't!

AUDREY stares at her, open-mouthed, speechless, but BRIANNA plows on, unable to stop herself.

BRIANNA  
Ever since you moved here you wanted a fresh start. Fresh country, fresh house, fresh husband. You know, all perfect, happy families. I just didn't know you would want to replace me too.

AUDREY  
I haven't replaced you!

BRIANNA  
Really? Because Mister "Perfect At Everything, And Is Bipolar As Well" begs to differ.

AUDREY  
I love you, Brianna.

BRIANNA  
But do you want me?

AUDREY hesitates for a moment - BRIANNA's face shatters.

AUDREY  
Yes.

BRIANNA  
Really? 'Cause I'm kind of just fucking up your life.

AUDREY  
You're not!

BRIANNA  
I am, though!

AUDREY  
Bree, I’ve seen you in the hospital getting your stomach pumped. I’ve taken you to the doctor to get tested for an STD when you were fourteen. I was there when you tried to hurt yourself, and I still love you.

BRIANNA inhales sharply, nodding, looking down.

BRIANNA  
Yeah, thanks for the reminder.

AUDREY  
I-- I'm so sorry, petal, I shouldn't have brought it up.

BRIANNA grins at her, lying.

BRIANNA  
No, it's fine. I’m over that. I’m a brand new person!

AUDREY  
You can be a new person and still have your old problems.

BRIANNA  
Mum, I’m not going to kill myself because I drank too much alcohol or had sex a few times!

AUDREY  
I know, but still. You could be leading yourself down a path to something worse than death. You remember what your father was like at times.

BRIANNA goes silent for a moment, biting her lip and looking away.

BRIANNA  
Mum, you know I’m nothing like him.

AUDREY  
I know, baby, I know, but… You have his blood in you. Addiction could--

BRIANNA  
I’m not an alcoholic, Mum. I’m seventeen.

AUDREY  
That doesn’t change anything, Bree, please, can you talk to me?

BRIANNA  
Honestly, talking to you is more like you talking at me.

AUDREY  
I-- I can work on that.

BRIANNA sighs, shaking her head.

BRIANNA  
I’m done. I’m going.

BRIANNA walks out of the room, AUDREY standing up.

AUDREY

Bree!

INT. HALLWAY, BRIANNA’S HOUSE

BRIANNA walks into the hallway as ALISTAIR comes down the stairs, rubbing his eyes, AUDREY coming out of the living room.

AUDREY  
Brianna Jordan Holland, if you walk out that door--

BRIANNA  
What are you gonna do? Hit me? Show me who's more like my _father_.

She spits out the word like it’s a curse, and they both go silent, neither of them daring to speak.

ALISTAIR [O.S.]  
What’s going on?

AUDREY looks up at ALISTAIR, and BRIANNA rolls her eyes.

AUDREY  
Nothing, just go back to bed.

BRIANNA sighs and opens the door.

AUDREY  
Bri--

BRIANNA leaves, the door slamming behind her.

EXT. STREET

BRIANNA starts to run down the street, breathing heavily, as a figure follows her. She keeps running, as fast as she can, but she eventually can’t go on, grasping at a stitch in her side and leans against the wall of a building, the figure catching up to her.

BRIANNA   
Go away, Mum.

ALISTAIR [O.S.]  
It’s me, Bree.

BRIANNA looks around at him and sighs.

BRIANNA  
What do you want?

ALISTAIR  
I want you to come home.

BRIANNA  
Why the fuck do you want that?

ALISTAIR  
Because you’re making Audrey worried sick, and I’m not letting you stay out here all night. Or end up in some stranger’s house. 

BRIANNA scoffs, ALISTAIR looking confused.

BRIANNA  
Is that all you think of me?

ALISTAIR  
What?

BRIANNA  
I’m not-- This isn’t all I am.

She gestures at her makeup and dress.

BRIANNA  
I’m-- I’m a  _ person _ . I’m human.

ALISTAIR  
Yeah, obviously.

BRIANNA rolls her eyes.

BRIANNA  
Jesus Christ, don’t you get it?

ALISTAIR  
No, Bree, honestly, I don’t, because every time I try to have a real conversation with you, you like to lock yourself in your room, blast sad music and draw. 

BRIANNA looks away, folding her arms again.

ALISTAIR  
Bree, just come home. Please. You’re-- You’re obviously kind of going through it, and I don’t think it’s safe.

BRIANNA  
What do you know about safe? You stole your dad’s credit card and ran off to London.

ALISTAIR  
That was  _ one time. _

BRIANNA laughs a little, humourless.

BRIANNA  
You can do literally anything and get away with it. I get yelled at for leaving my bag on the floor a few times. That isn’t fair.

ALISTAIR  
Those are two completely different--

BRIANNA  
Oh, of course, I'm the one who messed up! Again!

She then looks around, biting his lip.

BRIANNA  
Can we not do this in the middle of the street?

ALISTAIR  
Why? Don’t wanna be seen with me?

He sighs.

ALISTAIR  
Can we please not fight again?

BRIANNA  
Well, you’re the one who said that we should pretend not to be step-siblings because your snobby theatre friends thought I was a bitch. And then you told the  _ entire school _ I had chlamydia.

ALISTAIR  
It was an accident!

BRIANNA  
You don’t accidentally do that shit, Alistair!

ALISTAIR  
I thought it was a type of flu! I was, like, fourteen!

BRIANNA  
Get over yourself, fourteen year olds know what chlamydia is!

ALISTAIR rolls his eyes, startlingly like BRIANNA.

ALISTAIR  
I'm sorry I was an asshole teenager, Brianna. We all were. We all are. You have to move on.

BRIANNA  
I had to transfer schools because of the bullying. Remember?

ALISTAIR sighs, ashamed of himself as BRIANNA stares him dead in the eyes.

BRIANNA  
Now, can you leave me alone?

ALISTAIR  
I will. If you come home with me.

BRIANNA  
I’m not gonna do that.

ALISTAIR  
I literally won’t speak to you again for as long as I have to. Cross my heart.

He crosses his heart and she rolls her eyes.

ALISTAIR  
Please. 

BRIANNA  
No.

ALISTAIR  
I don’t want Custard to pine for you all night.

BRIANNA looks down, taking in a deep breath. She thinks for a moment, and gives in.

BRIANNA  
Fine. But if you’re a bitch to me--

ALISTAIR  
Yeah, yeah, you’ll cut my dick off before I even get one, thank you very much, Bree.

BRIANNA walks past him, stumbling slightly, heading back towards her house. Her phone buzzes in her pocket and she takes it out, reading a text from RORI that says: “Haha, we’re fine here, Bree. Hope you’re doing okay and drinking water. Love you, babe 💖.” BRIANNA smiles the smallest bit, just for her, and sends back a: “love you too rori, see you tomorrow.” 

She turns her phone off and puts it in her pocket, walking on into the lamplight.

_ CUT TO END CREDITS AS “...Ready For It?” BY TAYLOR SWIFT CONTINUES _

_ CUT TO BLACK _


End file.
